Internal combustion engine



Jan. 31, 1961 A. E. KoLBE INTERNAL coMBUsTIoN ENGINE original Filed Dec. s1, 1958 2 Sheets-Sheet l y NN L+. m M H N R N \\Q m mm QQ 10W. @Nw QJ@ N Q mm u Inl..- l 1 W Nm JS wm l. K 0 Km. @NN u. N @UN Jan. 31, 1961 A. E. KoLBE 2,969,781

INTERNAL COMBUSTION ENGINE Original Filed Dec. 51, 1958 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 1N VEN TOR.

ATI'TOP/Vf Y INTERNAL C OMBUSTION ENGINE Adelbert E. Kolbe, Berkley, Mich., assigner a. Generar Motors Corporation, Detroit, Mich., a corporation of Delaware Original application Dec. 31, 1958, Ser. No. 784,217. and this application Sept. 25, 1959, Ser. No.

4 Claims. (Cl. 12S-41.69)

This application is a division of Serial No. 784,217, led December 31, 1958, entitled Internal Combustion Engine.

This invention relates to engines and has particular relation to internal combustion engines that may be constructed largely of die cast aluminum or other light metal parts and that are especially applicable for automotive and other uses.

It is proposed to simplify the design Iof such engines and to provide economically manufactured and easily assembled parts that may be employed in the large quantity production of such engines.

In the drawings:

Figure 1 is a vertical longitudinal sectional view through a six-cylinder opposed engine designed for autoh motive purposes and embracing the principals of the invention. Figure 1 is taken substantially in the plane of line 1-1 of Figure 2.

Figure 2 is a vertical transverse sectional view of the engine disclosed by Figure 1. Figure 2 is taken substantially in the plane of line 2-2 of Figure 1.

The engine 10 comprises an engine frame 11 constructed by assembling banks of cylinders 12 and crankcase sections 13. The sections 13 have mating anges 14 on the side Walls 1S and mating flanges 16 on the transverse walls 21, the flanges 14 being secured together by bolts 17 to provide the crankcase 19. The interior of the crankcase is divided by the transverse walls 21 on which the flanges 16 are formed to provide crankcase compartments indicated at 22. The crankcase 19 also has oppositely disposed side walls 23 in which openings 24 are formed for each of the crankcase compartments 22. The cylinders 12 are secured to the crankcase 19 over the openings 24 and the crankcase sections 13 are additionally secured together by bolts indicated at 26. The bolts 26 extend through openings in the transverse walls 21 and have heads 27 formed in the middle of the bolts, the heads 27 being adapted to nonrotatably seat in openings ormed in opposite directions from the mating surfaces of the anges 16. The cylinders 12 are formed to provide anged ends 28 and bosses 29 at the ends adjacent the openings 24. The ends of the bolts 26 opposite the heads 27 project through openings in the transverse walls 21 and in the side walls 23 and in the anges 28 and in the bosses 29, and therebeyond receive nuts 311 securing the cylinders and crankcase sections in assembled relation to provide the frame 11.

It will be apparent that the cylinders may be removed from either side of the engine without disturbing the cylinders at the opposite side of the engine. It will also be apparent that after removing the cylinders from one side of the engine, one section of the crankcase may be removed without disturbing the other section of the crankcase and the cylinders thereon.

The cylinders 12 have integral heads 32, the cylinders and the heads being formed by solid wall means indicated at 33. Pistons 34 are reciprocably mounted in the cylinders 12, the cylindersbeing connected by connecting rods 36 to a crankshaft 37 mounted in bearings 3S secured between the parts of the transverse walls 21 secured together on the ilanges 16.

A combustion chamber 38 is provided for each cylinder 12, the combustion chambers being arranged between the heads 32 and the cylinders 12 and the pistons 34. The cylinders 12 are adapted to be supplied with combustible charges by inlet valves 39 communicating with the combustion chambers 38. The cylinders are adapted to be exhausted by exhaust valves41 also communicating with the combustion chambers 38. The stems of the valves 39 and 41 are disposed in parallel relation and parallel to the axes ofthe cylinders 12.

The inlet valves 39 are adapted to control ports formed in the heads at the inner extremities of inlet passages 42 also formed in the heads and extending upwardly within the frame 11. The exhaust valves 41 are also adapted to control exhaust ports formed at the inner extremities of exhaust passages 43 also formed in the heads and extending downwardly within the frame 11.

It will be noted that the walls 33 forming the cylinders 12, the combustion chambers 3S and the inlet and exhaust passages 42 and 43 are thicker adjacent the combustion chamber 38 and decrease in thickness axially of the cylinders 12 and in opposite directions from the combustion chambers 38 in the cylinders and in the heads. The walls also decrease in thickness in the inlet passages 42 from the combustion chambers to the outer extremities of the passages. However, in order to heat the incoming charges admitted by the valves 39 to the combustion chambers 38 it is proposed to provide a wall section 33a of greater thickness around the outside of the curved parts of the inlet passages immediately adjacent the inlet valves and the inlet ports. lt will be apparent that the Wall sections 33a will quickly conduct heat from the combustion chambers 38 to the inner ends of the inlet passages. It will also be noted that the Walls 33 forming the exhaust passages 43 also are thicker adjacent the combustion chambers 38 and become thinner as the walls extend outwardly to the ends of the exhaust passages 43.

Fins 44 are formed throughout the outer ends of the cylinders 13 and the heads 32 for the purpose of cooling the cylinders and the heads. It will be noted that the tins adjacent the outer ends of the exhaust passages 43 are parallel to the exhaust passages so as not to be heated by the exhaust gas in the outer ends of the exhaust passa es.

gIt is proposed to construct all of the cylinders at one side of the engine in a single integral cylinder bank, the ns on the cylinders and the heads being continuous from one end to the other of the cylinder ban'k.

The charges compressed in the combustion chambers 38 may be ignited by spark plugs 46.

The valves 39 and 41 may be closed by valve springs 47 and opened by rocker arms 48 actuated by push rods 49 extending along the sides of the cylinders 12 through tubes 51 mounted in supporting walls 52 embraced in the heads 32. The push rods 49 project beyond the tubes 51 into engagement with valve lifters 53 reciprocably mounted in valve lifter guides 54 formed in the crankcase sections 13 in such a way as to support the valve lifters 53 for the different rows of cylinders 12 in axial alignment. The push rods 49 extend from the tubes 51 to the bosses 54 through flexible hoses 56 secured to the tubes and the bosses by spring fasteners 57. The adjacent ends of the valve lifters 53 are engaged by cams on shaft 59 mounted in bearings formed in the transverse walls Z9 between the crankcase sections 13.

It will be noted that the valves in the cylinders in each cylinder bank are arranged in the same relation. However, in opposite cylinder banks the valves are arranged -in opposite relation. On one side of the engine the exhaust valves are adjacent one end of the engine and on the other side of the engine are adjacent the other end of the engine. Under such circumstances it will be apparent that only three cams S will be required for four valves, the four valves being the inlet and exhaust valves for each cylinder communicating with each crankthro-w compartment 22. The three cams for the four valves may be a large cam indicated at 61 and two smaller cams 62. The larger cams 61 are adapted to actua-te valve lifters for the inlet valves 39 in two of the opposed cylinders. The smaller cams 62 each are adapted to operate one valve lifter 53 for one exhaust valve 41 for each of the two opposed cylinders.

The crankshaft 37 may have 180 opposed cranks '63 in each of the compartments 22, there being three pairs of such cranks, each 120 from the crank of another pair.

The crankshaft 37 may drive the camshaft 59 through gears 66 and 67 located on the crankshaft and camshaft, respectively. The camshaft is mounted in the crankcase 19 directly below the crankshaft 37 and in such a way as to cause the tubes 51 and the hoses 56 to slope downwardly. The tubes 51 and hoses drain the oil from rocker arm compartments 68 within the rocker arm covers 65 to the space in the crankcase 19 around the camshaft 59.

The crankshaft 37 is adapted to drive any suitable load, as for example, a motor vehicle, through a driving disc indicated at 71 secured by bolts 72 to a hub of the gear 66. The gear 66 is secured on the reduced end 73 of the crankshaft 37. A clutch housing 74 may surround the driving disc 71 and with a seal 7l! may enclose the end of the engine outside of the gears 65 and 67 to provide a timing gear compartment indicated at 76. An oil pan 78 may be secured on a hanged extension 79 of the crankcase 19 to provide an oil sump 81. An oil pump 82 housed in an end casing 84 may have a drive shaft 83 connected to and drawn by the end of the camshaft 59. The end casing 84 may be provided with a seal 86 engaging the end of the camshaft 37.

The engine may be cooled by a blower 37 driven by a pulley 88 supported on the upper end of a tubular shaft 89 and secured by studs 91 to a hub 92 mounted on a supporting shaft 93. The shaft 93 may be mounted in a bearing 94 formed in the upper end of a hanged and tubular shaft 96 secured by studs 97 to an upper wall 9S of the crankcase 13. The blower S7 may be `driven through the pulley 38 by -a belt 99 operating around an idler pulley 101 and driven by pulley 192 mounted on the end of the crankshaft 37.

The engine may be shrouded by providing an inner shroud 163 and an outer shroud 1de, the two being formed to provide an inlet 106 for the blower 8Q7 on the upper side of the engine and downwardly extendmg circulating passages 107 on each side of the engine and across the ns 44 of the cylinders and heads of each bank of the cylinders 12. A lower baille 108 may deflect the circulating air toward either end of the engine where any suitable utletmay be provided. Oil coolers 199 may be C tillllocated outwardly of the blower 87 and adjacent each end of the engine for cooling the lubricating oil circulated by the pump 82.

What is claimed is:

l. An internal combustion engine comprising a crankcase having a crankshaft mounted therein and a cylinder having a piston mounted therein, a connecting -rod connecting said piston and said crankshaft, said cylinder being formed to provide an integral head, solid wall means embracing said cylinder and said head and having fins formed externally thereon, a combustion chamber formed in said cylinder and between said piston and said head for burning combustible charges supplied to said cylinder, an intake passage formed in said head and communicating with said combustion chamber for supplying said combustible charges to said cylinder, a valve in said head and controlling the communication between said passage and said combustion chamber, said wall means adjacent said combustion chamber and said intake passage and said valve and inwardly of said iins being thicker than in parts of said cylinder and said head remote from said combustion chamber and said intake passage and said valve, said wall means being adapted to conduct heat resulting from said burning radially and axially of said cylinder and axially of said intake passage and away from said combustion chamber and said valve to said tins throughout said cylinder and said head.

2. An internal combustion engine comprising a crankcase having a crankshaft mounted therein and a cylinder having a piston mounted therein, a connecting rod connecting said piston and said crankshaft, said cylinder bemg formed to provide an integral head, solid wall means embracing said cylinder and said head and having fins formed externally thereon, a combustion chamber formed in said cylinder and between said piston and said head for burning combustible charges supplied to said cylinder, an exhaust passage formed in said head and through said wall means and communicating with said combustion chamber for discharging products of combustion from said cylinder and having parts adjacent and parts remote from said combustion chamber, a valve in said head and controlling the communication between said exhaust passage and said combustion chamber, said wall means adjacent said combustion chamber and said exhaust passage adjacent parts and inwardly of said ins being thicker than in parts of said cylinder and said head and said exhaust passage parts remote from said combusti-on chamber and said valve, said wall means being adapted to conduct heat resulting from said burning radially and axially of said cylinder and axially of said passage and away from said combustion chamber and said valve and to said hns throughout said cylinder and said head, said ins adjacent said exhaust passage remote parts being formed in parallel relation to said remote parts of said exhaust passage.

3. An internal combustion engine comprising a cylinder having a piston mounted therein and formed to provide an integral head, solid wall means embracing said cylinder and said head and having tins formed externally thereon, a combustion chamber formed in said cylinder and between said piston and said head for burning combustible charges supplied to said cylinder, said wall means adjacent said combustion chamber and inwardly of said ns being thicker than in parts of said cylinder and said head remote from said combustion chamber and tapering in thickness in opposite directions axially of said cylinder, said wall means being adapted to conduct heat resulting from said burning radially and axially of said cylinder and from said combustion chamber to said ilns throughout said cylinder and said head.

4. An internal combustion engine comprising a cylinder having a piston mounted therein and formed to provide an integral head, solid wall means embracing said cylinder and said head and having ns formed externally thereon, a combustion chamber formed in said cylinder and between said piston and said head for burning combustible charges supplied to said cylinder, an intake passage formed in said head and communicating with said combustion chamber for supplying combustible charges to said cylinder, an exhaust passage formed in said head through said wall means and communicating with said combustion chamber for discharging products of combustion from said cylinder, said wall means adjacent said combustion chamber and said intake passage and said exhaust passage and inwardly of said fins being thicker than in parts of said cylinder and said head and parts of said intake passage and said passage remote from said combustion chamber, said wall means tapering in thickness in opposite directions axially of said cylinder and being adapted to conduct heat resulting from said burning radially and axially of said cylinder and axially of said intake and exhaust passages to said lns throughout said cylinder and said head.

Angle et al. Apr. 23, 1929 Willgoos May 28, 1946 

